1MDB scandal: June 3 hearing of prosecution's application for stay of order for return of property to Najib, wife, several others

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here today set June 3 to hear the prosecution's application to stay the execution of an order for the return of property that were seized from former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, their children and several other individuals.

Deputy public prosecutor Faten Hadni Khairuddin said the application would be heard before Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan.

On Nov 8 last year, the High Court had ordered the items not to be forfeited to the Malaysian government.

The items, including handbags of various brands, 27 vehicles and cash of various currencies, were seized for allegedly linked to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal.

On the prosecution's appeal at the Court of Appeal against the Nov 8 decision, Faten Hadni said it was at the case management stage as the prosecution was still waiting for the appeal record.

She said this when contacted by reporters after the case management before Deputy Registrar Catherine Nicholas today.

The prosecution filed the application for stay last Nov 24, by naming Najib, Rosmah, their son Nor Ashman Razak, Riza Shahriz Abdul Aziz (Najib's stepson), Senijauhar Sdn Bhd, Aiman Ruslan, Goh Gaik Ewe, (former Goldman Sachs bank officer) Roger Ng Chong Hwa and wife Lim Hwee Bin as the first to ninth respondent, respectively.

The application for the stay was made pending an appeal against the decision in the Court of Appeal which was filed last Nov 16.

In the Nov 8 decision, Judge Mohamed Zain, in dismissing the government's application to forfeit items that were seized from Najib, Rosmah Mansor, their children and several others, had allowed the government's application to forfeit assets from eight other respondents because they did not object to the application.

The respondents are Mohd Kyizzad Mesran, Yayasan Rakyat 1Malaysia, Yayasan Semesta, Yayasan Mustika Kasih, Rembulan Kembara Sdn Bhd and three former 1MDB officers who have absconded, Kee Kok Thiam, Tan Vern Tact and Geh Choh Hun.

On May 8, 2019, the Attorney-General's Chambers had filed a notice of motion to forfeit hundreds of items, allegedly linked to the 1MDB scandal, including handbags of various brands and 27 vehicles seized from Najib, Rosmah, their three children, including Nooryana Najwa, as well as 13 individuals and companies.

Among the items mentioned in the notice are handbags, shoes and watches of various brands, as well as cash in various currencies that were seized by the police on May 17, 2018, and June 11, 2018, as well as 27 vehicles that were seized on Aug 2, 2018, and a piece of land in Tanjung Bungah, Penang.

Also included is more than RM18 million in several bank accounts at Bank Islam Malaysia Bhd, Al-Rajhi Bank Bhd, Malayan Banking Bhd, CIMB Bank Bhd, RHB Bank Bhd, Public Bank Bhd, AmBank Bhd and Hong Leong Bank Bhd that was frozen between Aug 16, 2018, and March 11, 2019.

However, the Attorney-General's Chambers allowed a representation by Nooryana Najwa for the return of items that belonged to her, which included handbags and shoes.

-- BERNAMA